In this episode of the Teach Outdoors podcast, we dive into the powerful connection between nature and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). SEL is about nurturing essential skills like self-awareness, managing emotions, building relationships, and making responsible decisions—and there’s no better place to support these skills than in the great outdoors.

Join Lauren as she shares practical, nature-based activities to help foster resilience, mindfulness, and empathy in your students. From sensory walks and sit spots to bird language skits and cooperative games, these simple yet impactful strategies bring SEL to life in your outdoor classroom. You'll hear how activities like comfort scavenger hunts and nature breaths help students tune into their emotions, reflect on their choices, and build meaningful connections with each other and the environment.

Whether you're new to outdoor learning or looking to enhance your existing practices, this episode will offer valuable insights and inspiration to support your students’ social-emotional growth in nature.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How nature supports self-awareness and self-management
• Activities for developing social awareness and relationship skills
• Simple ways to foster responsible decision-making in an outdoor setting
• Tips for scaffolding outdoor experiences for all students

And don’t miss Lauren’s exciting updates about her books, professional development programs, and upcoming events!

Tune in and discover how nature can be your most powerful partner in supporting SEL. 🌱

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Me and My Sit Spot for Early Learners
• Nature’s Path: A Year of Monthly Parks
• Finding Common Ground
• Sitting With Nature: An Educator's Guide to Sit Spots

Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for Lauren’s books and programs to help others discover these valuable tools!

Music Credit: "From the Trees" by Brandon Grant.

Welcome back to Teach Outdoors, the podcast that inspires educators to take learning outside! In this episode, we chat with Leila Mireskandari, a Gardening Coach for teachers, founder of Kids Growing City, and host of the School Gardens with Ease podcast. Leila shares her journey from software developer to school garden expert, driven by her passion for growing food and teaching children crucial life skills. We dive into her Oasis programs, designed to help teachers create thriving school gardens that are fully managed by students and integrated into the curriculum. Whether you’re new to garden-based learning or looking to overcome common challenges, Leila’s insights offer practical strategies and inspiring success stories.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• 🌱 How Leila transitioned from a corporate job to leading school garden programs.
• 🌱 The driving factors behind her passion for food-growing education.
• 🌱 An overview of the Oasis suite of programs and how they empower teachers and students.
• 🌱 Challenges teachers face when starting a school garden and how Leila’s programs provide solutions.
• 🌱 Highlights from Leila’s work, including her experiences growing school gardens and overcoming obstacles.
• 🌱 Tips for maintaining a sustainable garden year-round, even through summer breaks.

Key Takeaways:

1. Gardens as Classrooms: Leila’s Oasis programs are designed to be easy for teachers to implement during the school day, connecting directly to the curriculum and allowing students to lead the way.
2. Skill Development: Beyond gardening, students gain valuable skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and an understanding of food systems and sustainability.
3. Overcoming Obstacles: Leila shares her lessons from running gardens in various settings, helping teachers bypass common pitfalls.
4. Sustainability Tips: Practical advice for ensuring school gardens thrive, even when school isn’t in session.

About Our Guest: Leila Mireskandari is a certified Permaculture Designer, Landscape Designer, and holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on food-growing education. She has been running school garden programs full-time since 2013, helping schools create abundant, educational food gardens with ease.

Connect with Leila:

• Website: Kids Growing City
• Podcast: School Gardens with Ease
• Instagram: @kidsgrowingcity

Resources Mentioned:

• The Oasis Series Programs (Lesson plans, student booklets, and support for teachers)
• Tips for garden sustainability and student-led projects

Welcome back to the Teach Outdoors podcast! I’m Lauren, and today we’re diving into Outdoor Literacy—exploring ways to take reading and writing outside to deepen students' connection with nature while enhancing their literacy skills. I’ll share my favourite mentor texts, engaging outdoor literacy activities, and effective routines that support reading and writing in nature. From using Sit Spots and nature journals to storytelling with stones, this episode is packed with ideas to help you make literacy come alive outdoors.

Plus, I’m thrilled to share updates on Nature’s Path: A Year of Monthly Parks, now in its third year and used by schools across North America. This program offers monthly videos and resources designed to inspire outdoor learning with seasonal activities, book recommendations, and circle reflection prompts, linked to the curriculum. You can find more information on my website here or connect with me on Instagram.

Lastly, don’t miss out on my latest content across platforms—Instagram for quick tips, and YouTube Shorts for student-friendly activities you can play in class. And if you haven’t picked up a copy of my second children’s book, Finding Common Ground, it’s available on my website, Amazon, and major bookstores. Reviews help new readers discover it, so please leave one if you can! Until next time, keep exploring, writing, and reading in the wild!

In this episode of Teach Outdoors, “The Power of Play: How Free Play in Nature Builds Foundational Skills,” we explore the incredible impact of outdoor free play on students of all ages. Often thought of as a preschool or kindergarten activity, free play is actually a powerful tool for learners from elementary through high school. Research shows that free play helps build essential skills like problem-solving, resilience, and executive function. This episode dives into how free play enhances learning across age groups, supporting mental breaks, creativity, and social-emotional growth.

We’ll cover practical strategies for incorporating free play into busy school days, discuss overcoming challenges, and provide ideas for setting expectations and routines to make outdoor play effective and safe. Tune in for ways to create space for free play in nature, support foundational skills, and bring joy and exploration back into learning.

Grab Your FREE Outdoor Learning Calendar Here

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Welcome to Season 3 of the Teach Outdoors Podcast! I'm your host, Lauren, and I'm thrilled to bring you new and exciting ways to support your outdoor learning journey. Each episode this season will dive deep into practical strategies, creative ideas, and actionable advice to help you take your curriculum outside. We’re also expanding across platforms—Instagram offers quick tips, and YouTube Shorts provide student-centred videos you can use in the classroom. In today’s episode, we’re exploring Autumn Leaf Art, where I’ll share creative ways to use nature’s vibrant colours for hands-on learning.

We’ll dive into fun activities like leaf rubbings, creating leaf wreaths, and making leaf prints with clay or salt dough. These hands-on projects not only spark creativity but also encourage observation skills and a deeper connection with nature. Plus, I’ve got some exciting updates on our growing Nature’s Path pro-d series and my new children's book, Finding Common Ground. Let’s get started!

Nature's Path: A Year of Monthly Sparks (Find here)

Me and My Sit Spot (Find here)

Finding Common Ground (Find here)

In this episode of the Teach Outdoors podcast, we feature Kyra Stephenson, who serves as a Nature-Based Learning Coach at Anna Murray-Douglass Academy School #12 within the Rochester City School District. Kyra has successfully integrated a comprehensive nature-based learning (NBL) program into a PreK-8th grade public school setting. You can follow Kyra on Instagram to stay updated on her initiatives and insights.

Email: [email protected] 

School website:  https://www.rcsdk12.org/12 

Instagram: kls_natureed

 Purpose – How Nature-Based Learning Started for Kyra

Kyra’s journey with nature-based learning is deeply rooted in her own lifelong connection with nature, beginning in her childhood and continuing through adulthood. Motivated by a personal health scare and an understanding of nature’s positive benefits, Kyra sought to make a bigger difference and create a lasting impact through her work. The NBL program at her school is built on three main pillars:

- Academic Growth

- Physical and Emotional Wellness

- Community Building, which includes fostering connections with the natural community.

Benefits of Nature-Based Learning

The program supports Social Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives, with data collected from Wellness Check-ins indicating significant benefits. Students exhibit awe, joy, and 100% engagement during nature-based activities, which positively impacts their overall well-being and readiness to engage in classroom learning. The program emphasizes learning outdoors, and its benefits are evident as students transition back into the classroom environment.

Outcomes of the Program

The implementation of NBL has led to a noticeable culture shift within the school. Behavior referrals have decreased, and there are initial findings of academic growth. The school has also established an outdoor classroom and developed lessons that integrate with the district's curriculum, enhancing the learning experience.

Goals for the Future

Kyra is currently awaiting final approval to conduct research on the impact of NBL at her school in collaboration with a professor from SUNY Brockport. The program aims to meet the needs defined within the City of Rochester’s Children and Outdoor Bill of Rights. Future goals include incorporating more teacher preparation programs with local universities, expanding the NBL program to other schools within the district and beyond, and creating a generation of Nature Ambassadors.

One of my favourite suggestions from Kyra can be found around minute 37 when she talks about Nature Portraits and Nature Names!

For more information about the Fall 2024 symposium, visit: Rochester Ecology Partners Event

Learn more about the City of Rochester’s Children and Outdoor Bill of Rights here: City of Rochester Article

Welcome to Moss and Lichen Unveiled: Nature’s Tiny Wonders Podcast! Join your host, Lauren MacLean, on a captivating journey into the enchanting realm of moss and lichen. Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's poetic musings, Lauren invites fellow nature enthusiasts to delve deep into the often-overlooked world of these remarkable organisms.

In this episode, Lauren shares intriguing teaching and learning experiences centred around moss and lichen, highlighting their significance in the ecosystem. From hands-on activities like estimation exercises and observation sketches to artistic expressions using natural materials, listeners gain insight into the diverse ways these tiny wonders can inspire curiosity and discovery.

Guided by Lauren's enthusiastic narration, listeners explore the distinctive features of moss and lichen, from their rhizoids and filaments to their unique growth patterns and habitats. Through engaging descriptions and educational insights, listeners develop a deeper appreciation for these silent sentinels of the natural world.

So grab your magnifying glass and embark on a quest to uncover the mysteries of moss and lichen with Moss and Lichen Unveiled: Nature’s Tiny Wonders Podcast! Don't forget to follow @teachoutdoors.ca on Instagram and @lkmaclean on Twitter for updates on ongoing explorations and inquiries. Until next time, keep exploring, keep wondering, and keep marvelling at the beauty of the natural world.

Join us on today's episode as we delve into the fascinating world of mushrooms and fungi with our special guest, Carly Eirikson, Vice-Principal of a local school district in British Columbia, Canada.

Carly shares her incredible journey with her grade 3 students, where a simple curiosity during nature walks blossomed into a captivating inquiry into the world of mushrooms and fungi. Utilizing the Walking Curriculum as her guide, Carly and her students embarked on a remarkable exploration, observing, and investigating the diverse fungi in their surroundings.

What makes this story truly remarkable is the involvement of families, who eagerly participated in the inquiry, even extending it to weekends. From humble beginnings, the inquiry grew into an immersive learning experience, seamlessly integrating science curriculum objectives.

In this episode, Carly discusses the process of weaving the science curriculum into the fungi inquiry, reflecting on what worked well and what she would do differently next time. Her insights offer valuable lessons for educators and parents alike on nurturing curiosity and fostering authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences.

As a bonus recommendation, Carly encourages listeners to watch the documentary *Fantastic Fungi*, which further illuminates the wonders of the fungal kingdom and its profound connections to our world.

Tune in to gain inspiration from Carly's journey and discover the magic of exploring nature through the lens of fungi! 🍄✨

In this episode of Teach Outdoors with Lauren MacLean, we embark on an enthralling exploration of the insect world, inspired by E.O. Wilson's timeless quote, "Every kid has a bug period. I never grew out of mine." Join us as we delve into the captivating realm of insects and spiders, shedding light on their crucial environmental roles.

Throughout the episode, Lauren encourages listeners to foster curiosity and understanding about these tiny creatures, often overlooked yet essential to our ecosystems. Beginning with observations of common species like butterflies, ladybugs, ants, and beetles, she guides us through their habitats, diets, and the challenges they face from predators.

But it's not just about facts; Lauren emphasizes the importance of perspective, prompting listeners to consider what makes certain bugs beautiful or terrifying and fostering appreciation for their diversity. The episode also features insights from students' research on notable features of butterflies, ladybugs, and beetles, accompanied by reflections on emotions evoked by these insects.

Listeners are invited to join Lauren on various outdoor activities, from constructing bug habitats to creating an insect field guide collaboratively. The episode concludes with a reminder of the importance of understanding the distinction between beneficial and harmful bugs and fostering an appreciation for these essential creatures in the natural world.

Tune in to Teach Outdoors with Lauren MacLean to explore the enchanting world of insects and bugs, celebrating their beauty and significance in our environment.

In this episode of Teach Outdoors, join host Lauren MacLean for a cozy exploration of leaves in "Leaves Under Investigation: A Close-Up Study." Dive into the spontaneous adventures of leaf inquiries, where students jump into piles, create leaf art inspired by "Leaf Man," and delve into leafy details. Discover the vibrant colors, symmetrical patterns, and unique characteristics of leaves found in British Columbia, from the majestic Cedar to the iconic Maple. Explore leaf veins through activities like leaf rubbings and vein poetry, and even mimic the graceful descent of falling leaves in an impromptu dance performance. Plus, find inspiration in picture books like "Leaf Jumpers" and "Leaf Man" to ignite leaf inquiries in your own outdoor explorations.

As we conclude our leafy expedition, let's recognize the vital
role leaves play in our ecosystem and strengthen our bond with the natural
world. Share your leafy discoveries on Instagram @teachoutdoors.ca, and until
next time, keep wandering, keep wondering, and keep celebrating the beauty of
leaves.